How to boost voter turnout? Readers respond to our Question of the Week: Letters to the Editor for Sunday, March 17

On Tuesday, we asked readers: Is there a good way to boost voter turnout? Here are some reader responses:

There ought to be a law -- make voting mandatory

I've never understood the logic of requiring our citizens to serve jury duty but not requiring them to vote in general elections. To not serve jury duty, you must have a valid reason. Why not have the same requirement to not vote? Some countries have a requirement to vote or justify not voting or pay a fine. It is a right and a privilege to be able to vote and neither should be abused by not voting. When only a small percent of the people vote, that is a failure of democracy. -- Louis Rowell, Woodland Hills

Make it as easy as it is to vote for 'American Idol'

Let's make the process more voter-friendly by not requiring the majority of working voters to navigate traffic, make adjustments to their schedules, alter child-care arrangements and wait in lines at their polling places. How about making mail-in ballots available online? Or allowing voting online. If people could vote on their smartphones, we'd see an increase in turnout. Polling sites are a product of a bygone era. How about weekend voting? Or more than one voting day? How about withholding government assistance until proof of voting is demonstrated, or fast-tracking income tax refunds for those who vote? If millions of people can cast votes for "American Idol," there must be a way to get citizens to choose civic leaders and decide on measures that affect their lives. -- Mary Brown, Rancho Cucamonga

Better-informed public would be more involved

One way to generate greater voter interest is for newspapers to publish how our elected officials vote on the measures. City council members, county supervisors, and the state Legislature tell us what a great job they're doing and how they're looking out for us when election time rolls around. But seeing how their representatives vote throughout the year would give constituents a better sense of how much they agree or disagree with their own views on the issues impacting our lives. A more informed public is a more involved public. -- Michael Gerety, Sherman Oaks

Casting a ballot should be a part of national service

The precious freedoms American citizens enjoy - especially the freedom to vote - have been bought and paid for by the sacrifices of those of us who served in the armed forces. I guarantee that voter turnout among war veterans exceeds that of non-veterans. If all American citizens were required to serve their country in some capacity - the armed forces, the Peace Corps or some other public service program - voter participation rates would skyrocket. Those of us who have witnessed the oppression and suffering in other countries know how valuable our freedoms are and why it is important to vote. -- Ralph Paul Jacobs, Long Beach

Voting with the stars: Use celebrity appeals

It's unfortunate some people are more concerned with how their favorite sports team is doing than how their government is doing. They imitate their favorite players rather than their wise elders, teachers or ministers. When a sports hero advertises a tennis shoe, fans buy it. And when athletes shave their heads, fans shave theirs. When a celebrity lends her name to a perfume, her adoring fans wear the same scent. Doesn't it stand to reason that famous jocks and performers should be recruited to pose in front of TV cameras and inspire viewers to vote? They could say, "I've studied the issues for the upcoming election and have examined the records of the candidates seeking office. I'll cast my vote on election day. I hope you do the same." Guaranteed their fans will rush to the voting booths by the thousands or millions. -- David Quintero, Monrovia

Change dates to ones voters are familiar with

Years ago, Los Angeles held the primary and runoff elections in April and June. After 1993, because of Richard Riordan's city charter amendment, it was moved to March and May. How about moving it to June and November of the same year? June and November is the schedule many people are familiar with from national and state primaries and general elections. -- Howard P. Cohen, North Hills

This just might work: Give people the day off

Tax Day: April 15. Election Day: April 16 (for all elections). Make them both national holidays. -- Earl DeVries, Ontario

Public apathy begins with more fundamental ills

The country with the most freedom and opportunity has one of the lowest voter turnout rates in the world. America has lost its soul and is gravely ill. So many of our citizens cannot be bothered to protect our liberty because they're too busy amusing themselves with gadgets and games. Surely the founders and all who gave their lives for this most noble experiment are turning in their graves. The only hope to reverse this dangerous trend is to teach children morals, personal responsibility, pride of country and unbiased U.S. history. Otherwise this nation is ripe for the picking by those who would enslave us. -- Michael Logan, Pasadena